by Kempf, Shaun
“So, they didn’t throw you in the stockade,” commented Twitch as he walked in and made his way to his cot. Without hesitation, he began to get his gear ready. As did everyone else.
“Are you kidding? He probably broke out without anyone noticing,” said Static.
“You plead insanity, Lieutenant?” asked Annie.
“I just told them I was the only one that could keep you misfits in line,” Ben responded.
“What’s the mission?” asked Michael.
“Pack extra ammo clips. Gatlin, you’ll want to take your Benelli M4 just in case. “
“What are we getting into, Ben?” Gatlin asked. The use of his first name rather than his rank told him Gatlin knew that something serious was up. Of course, Ben asking him to make sure he had his combat shotgun on this mission told everyone it was going to be serious.
“We’re heading to New York,” Ben paused to let that sink in. He watched the faces of each member of his team. Gatlin’s face didn’t change much. He was another man Ben would never play poker with. Gatlin was pretty stoic no matter the circumstance and he never said much, but when he did he usually didn’t waste words. Annie’s face turned to stone. Ben called it her game face and she used it whenever the fight was about to or getting tough. He was never really sure what she was feeling or thinking during those moments, but he did know that she was a force to be reckoned with when she got focused. Static’s eyes darted back and forth at nothing in particular as he slowly dropped his head a few inches. Twitch’s face grew a little gray and he slowly nodded his head. Michael tried to hide his contempt, but Ben knew what to look for. It was the slight squint of Michael’s right eye that always gave him away. Twitch was the first to respond.
“They want us to clear the city?” Ben could always rely on Twitch to look at the glass as half full.
“I tried to convince them we could, but no. This is a rescue mission. A government official’s plane went down. Crashed into a building and they suspect they are survivors. It should be a grab and run kind of mission.”
“Then why the extra ammo?” asked Static.
“Cause it’s fucking New York,” said Annie.
“Come on guys, you remember rule three of survival . . .”
“Always be prepared,” the group almost said in unison.
“You know I’ve never complained about our missions before,” Michael said, “but can’t they send a different squad?”
“Colonel Tonn is here.”
“The Colonel is here?” Twitch mouth dropped open as he said it.
“And he recommended us personally for this mission.”
“Son-of-a-bitch,” Twitch said as he sat on his cot. “Then we got to go.”
“Whether he recommended us or not we have to go. We’re Rangers now. And the good news is that they are sending in their best squad. I was told we are the most successful squad currently in action.”
“What’s the bad news?” asked Michael.
“That’s pretty obvious, Tonto,” said Static. Michael shot him a warning glance.
“Yeah, heading to New York is not great news,” Ben said quickly to avoid having to put out another fire. “However, the other interesting news is that we’re getting a new member to our squad. A captain by the name of Perret.”
The look of shock and anger on his teams face told him that news was more jarring than hearing their next mission was taking them to New York.
“We don’t need a Captain. We’ve got you,” Annie said.
“Yeah, what the fuck do they think they’re doing?” Twitch demanded.
“Hold on. Listen a minute,” Ben held up his hands as if that would stop the barrage of words he could see forming on everyone’s lips. “I was assured that he will be joining us just for this mission due to who we’re rescuing. And before you can ask, I was not given that information.”
To keep his team thinking more positively he quickly came up with the suggestion that perhaps this would give them some more ideas or tactics that they had not yet considered. As he spoke, he almost started to believe himself. More importantly, his team quieted down, but he knew that they were still not comfortable with the situation. There was nothing more he could do. His orders and theirs stood, they needed to get ready. Everyone started to get their gear together, checking and double checking.
Ben walked around to assist each team member as best he could. Annie wanted to know if she should bring her sniper rifle. Ben hesitated before having her leave it behind and take her M16 instead. She was one of the few that carried a different weapon than everyone else and that was only because their M4s were effective only at a closer range. The M16 gave Annie a little more range. He believed that if they had to do any fighting, which he really hoped they wouldn’t have to do, it would be in close quarters where a sniper rifle would not give them any advantage.
Static wanted to know if he should carry his backpack radio, but Ben told him to pack lite and ammo heavy. They were going to have the helicopter there so if they needed to radio back to the base just outside the quarantine zone they could use its radio. Then Ben made his way to Michael’s cot where Michael was working on filling his pack.
“This isn’t a wise mission,” said Michael in a low whisper. Michael was never afraid to express his opinion to Ben, but knew better than to question Ben’s authority in front of everyone else. Ben didn’t mind Michael’s honesty or willingness to give his opinion. There were plenty of times that Ben had sought it out before making a decision.
“It won’t be that bad,” Ben tried to play it off. “We’ll be in and out quickly.”
“Last night I had a dream about this mission. We shouldn’t go.”
“Don’t start with your dreams and visions, Michael,” Ben looked around, afraid he had said that too loud. “Your dreams are always vague and then you read into them what you want.”
“What happened to the Ben I used to know? The one that trusted in my dreams and visions?” Michael didn’t back down. He stared directly into Ben’s eyes.
Ben hated it when Michael got like this. It always felt like he could stare deep into his mind and soul. Michael hadn’t stared into him for a long time, not since before they became Rangers. However, Ben remembered the first time that Michael had peered deep inside of him. It had been a long time ago, or it seemed that way when he had first met him. It was one of the first memories that Ben had since the outbreak happened.
Ben had been wandering down a country road when he noticed ten of the Infected that had surrounded a car that was in a ditch. They were all grunting and growling as they pounded on the car. The silver Lexus seemed to shake in fear as they small horde relentless attacked it. Ben knew that the only reason they were so focused on the Lexus had to mean that someone was inside. However, his only concern at the moment was destroying the Infected.
He put down the shotgun he had in his hands and picked up a good sized stone from the side of the road. He cocked his arm and threw the stone at the horde hitting one of them in the shoulder. It was enough to get its attention. The undead woman that he had hit was missing her right eye and part of her right check. Ben could make out the woman’s molars behind the mess that had been her cheek. When she spotted him she started for him immediately. Ben pulled his modified baseball bat from its sling on his back.
He had re-enforced the bat with metal strips that came to peaks making the bat look like it had a bunch of mini Mohawks. The modification had made the bat a little heavier, but it had also proved itself to be a valuable weapon as it did again now. As the woman approached he swung it at her head. Her head easily cracked open as he made contact. Her dark gray brain matter oozed out of the hole that Ben’s bat had created. The Infected woman fell to the road where the rest of her brain spilled out onto the concrete.
Her departure had not gone un-noticed by the other infected who were now making their way toward Ben. He didn’t wait for them. Instead, he gave a fierce yell and charged them. He strongly swung his bat with ca
refully calculated accuracy make sure to always make contact with an Infected’s head and never leaving himself vulnerable to attack. Heads of the Infected exploded like watermelon around him. After a blur of two minutes, Ben stood, his bloody bat at the ready, over the last fallen Infected body looking like a caveman covered in the gore of his kill after a successful hunt. He drew in long deep breaths as he looked around to be sure they were all finally dead; for good this time.
Slowly he composed himself and walked back and retrieved his shotgun as he put the bat back into its sling. When he turned around again he found a Native American man standing on the road just twenty feet away. Ben quickly raised his shotgun to his shoulder.
“Wait!” shouted the man as he put up his hands. “I’m alive and uninfected.”
“You were the one in the car?” Ben asked not lowering his weapon.
“Yes.”
The two men stared at each other for what seemed like hours, but only a moment passed. Finally, Ben lowered the barrel of his weapon, but did not remove it from his shoulder.
“What happened?” Ben asked.
“I had found a car that worked and was driving down the road when that horde appeared and caused me to crash into the ditch. I thought was a dead man and that car was going to be my coffin until you came along.”
“You should have driven through them,” Ben relaxed more removing the shotgun from his shoulder and starting to walk again. He walked right past the Native American without looking at him. The man was not his concern. All he wanted to do was find more Infected and remove them from the world. He knew that they weren’t supposed to be in the world and had to be eradicated.
“I guess, but they surprised me,” the Native American said as he began to follow Ben. “I’m Michael. Michael Standing Bear Eastman.”
Ben kept walking and Michael kept following neither man saying anything. Finally, Ben stopped as did Michael. Ben turned and glared at Michael.
“What do you want from me, Michael.”
It was then that Michael Standing Bear stared deep into Ben’s eyes. It had felt to Ben that Michael Standing Bear was seeing all of him. There were no secrets that he could keep hidden. No past events that Michael didn’t know about. It had been that connection that had brought Ben back out of the darkness that he had been living in for so long.
“I was wondering when I might run into you, Kemosabe,” Michael finally said with a smile on his face.
“What did you call me?” Ben took a step towards Michael.
“I’m sorry, it was a little joke. You see, I saw you in a dream of mine a few nights ago.”
“What?” Ben began to wonder if he had just saved someone that had somehow escaped a mental ward and somehow survived on their own.
“I mean, I didn’t know it was you until just now. I didn’t know . . .”
“What are you talking about?” Ben asked cutting Michael off.
“I am a Dakota of the band Sissetonwan or People of the Fish Village and we put great faith in our dreams. Our dreams will often show us the path in our lives to take. A few nights ago I dreamt of a lone warrior that fought like an angry mother bear who would save my life. After the warrior saved my life my great grandmother stood next to me and told me to stay with this warrior so that I might keep his life safe until I am called back to the land of my ancestors. You are that great warrior. My Lone Ranger if you will. That is why I called you Kemosabe.”
“And I suppose that means I’m supposed to call you Tonto?” asked Ben with disbelief seeping through the words.
“Please, no. Michael will be fine.” Michael Standing Bear offered his hand.
“So, I guess no matter what I say, you’re sticking with me.” Ben watched as Michael nodded his head only once. Ben let out a deep breath and took Michael’s hand. “Fine. I’m Ben Hassinger. Let’s go, Standing Bear.”
They didn’t walk off into the sunset, but into the deep darkness that is the night as Ben had always done before, but this time there was a little light to see by. That light had grown strong and bright as Michael and Ben’s friendship had grown.
Now, Ben found himself standing before his good friend, unable to say what he really wanted to say. He looked at his friend’s expectant face and hid his thoughts a little deeper into the recesses of his mind.
“That was a long time ago, Sergeant. Back when I believe in vague dreams. We’re Rangers now. We don’t get to pick our missions, we get them assigned. We don’t have a choice.”
“There’s always a choice.” Michael grabbed his gear and walked out leaving Lieutenant Hassinger standing there with a knot in his chest.
FOUR
Ben stood in the hanger with his men waiting for the Captain to arrive. He had wanted his team to make a good first impression, so he had them arrive early. It was better for the Captain to see them waiting for him then the other way around. That was a no-brainer. As they were waiting Ben watched his team. No one was standing still. Static kept shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he talked to Annie, who couldn’t seem to find a comfortable way to hold her rifle. Twitch was tapping his left heel as if he had a song stuck in his head. Gatlin and Michael were having a very animated discussion, but Ben couldn’t hear what they were talking about. Whatever they were talking about, neither man was smiling. In fact, no one was smiling.
He felt confident that the mission would be completed without any hitches. He had to be confident about that as the team lead, even if the Captain was taking over for this mission. Still, he felt their uneasy and did everything he could to remain still. His confidence wavered a little when he saw Captain Perret walking towards his team in full battle armor. Ben deadened his sigh as best as he could when he saw the Captain with his body armor, helmet and a weapon without a suppressor. If anything was going to tell his team just how green the Captain was, it was his appearance. Any soldier that had been out in the field knew that mobility was, at times, of the utmost importance. Granted Ben’s team happily wore the shin and forearm guards. They did what they were designed to do, which was stop the infected from being able to bite them, but that was as far as their armor wearing went. The Captain, upon reaching the team, did not waste one breath in asking Ben why his team was not prepared. He started with the Lieutenant.
“What are you wearing, soldier?” The Captain said more than loud enough as he got into Ben’s face.
It reminded Ben of their drill sergeant they had during the short time they spent in boot camp. During those days he kept his team motivated by telling them to take what skills they found useful, there had been plenty to learn, and they would be back out in the fielding doing things their way soon enough. He reminded them that the benefit of having the resources that the Army could provide outweighed the difficult time they were enduring. It had worked and they made it through boot camp without too many incidents.
“Sir?” was Ben’s only replied.
“Where is the rest of your and your team’s body armor?” The Captain snatched Ben’s cap off of his head. “And what the hell is this? This is not a helmet, Lieutenant.”
“It’s my lucky hat, sir.” Ben tried his best to remove the annoyance from his voice. He knew what the Captain was doing, but on the other hand, he also knew the Captain didn’t know what to expect out there.
“I will not have my team looking like a bunch of Ranger misfits who looked like they grabbed whatever was lying around just to get ready for battle. You’re not scavengers anymore. You’re Army Rangers. Where are the team’s helmets and body armor, Lieutenant?” The Captain was shouting now.
“Sir, no one is shooting at us, Sir. The body armor is not needed. It is more important to be agile and quick in the field when the time calls for it. The body armor can slow you down. Sir.”
“What if someone accidentally misfires? Or you fall and hit your head? Don’t you think it might be worthwhile to have your armor on then?” The Captain shoved cap into Ben’s chest. Ben held onto the cap and took a slow breath befo
re responding.
“Those are risks we’re willing to take, Sir. This is the Lone Ranger Squad!”
“Hi-ho Silver!” His team shouted in unison. At first, during training, the battle cry had seemed a bit cheesy. Almost gimmicky, but as time passed the team had taken it on and really made it their own. Now Ben couldn’t hear them respond and not feel a little pride. He risked a quick glance in their direction and saw that they had without orders to line up at attention. He had a great team.
“They are not risks that I am willing to take Lieutenant,” the Captain said in a quieter tone. “My squad will not go into battle unprepared. You and your team will hustle, double time, back to your barracks and suit up, fully. Do I make myself clear?”
“Sir, yes sir!”
“Get going Lieutenant!”
Ben released his team from attention and led the way as they raced back to the barracks. The run to the barracks was silent, but once they got inside the grumbles began. Ben put a stop to it immediately. He didn’t explain himself or the Captain; it was time to follow orders. They just had to get through this mission and they could get back to doing things their way. His team trusted him enough to quiet down and finish putting their gear on.
By the time they made it back to the hanger Captain Perret was already standing by the plane that had its engines running waiting to take them from their base in Southern Illinois out East to a base just outside of the New York Quarantine zone. The two-hour plane ride was quiet. Ben’s team looked uncomfortable, to say the least, as they sat in the belly of the plane in full body armor. What Ben couldn’t decide was if it was the upcoming mission or the Captain that had silenced his team.
As soon as they landed they were quickly ushered over to a waiting UH-60 Black Hawk that was going to be their transport into the city. The Captain grabbed the seat next to the pilot; he apparently had some piloting experience and was going to use this flight as a way to get in some more time. The rest of Ben’s team piled into the area behind the cockpit and made themselves as comfortable as they could in the close quarters. No matter how many times Ben rode in a Black Hawk, they never ceased to amaze him. The versatility of this craft was amazing. In their short nine months as Rangers, his team had been on missions with Black Hawks numerous times. He always thought he had seen everything the helicopter could do until they had their next mission.